My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 66 The Aftertaste
April 23, 640 AD (Da Liang Dynasty)

On the north bank of the Luohe River, in a grove of trees, a gentle breeze blows and willow leaves sway.

Behind the willow grove, a two-story wooden building is faintly visible.

Chen Mu sat at the second-floor window, quietly gazing at the vast, white expanse of the river.

He was holding a wooden cup filled with a rich, brown beverage, emanating a faint, medicinal, milky aroma.

This is a special milk tea he made with qi-tonifying herbs. It has a rich and mellow taste and is highly nutritious.

Chen Mu sat behind a long desk by the window, leisurely sipping tea while enjoying the scenery.

This was five days after he attacked the White Tiger ship overnight.

That very night, he abandoned the Taohuafang residence. He didn't even get his rent refunded; he packed his things and left overnight.

This wooden house was rented through Jiejia. He himself didn't dare show his face, fearing that the trail would lead back to him.

"Zuo Sheng is from the Jinghong Gang, right?" Chen Mu pondered to himself. "Was he there at the pottery workshop that night also after me?"

First it was Lin Que of the White Tiger Hall, then it was Zuo Sheng.

"We can't sell Qingfeng Powder anymore," Chen Mu sighed.

I finally found a way to make money, but someone else is eyeing it.

If it weren't for a coincidence that Zhu Yige took the blame for him, he would have been the one who was ambushed and killed by Lin Que's team that night!
Thinking about what Zhu Yige had gone through, Chen Mu's expression turned strange.

Not only was his own Huanglong Powder counterfeited, but he was also implicated and had to take the blame for Chen Mu.

"Jiejia, your sins are grave," Chen Mu said with feigned concern.

……

"Things should be over for now," Chen Mu thought uncertainly.

Chen Mu has been staying obediently in his new home in Shanglinfang these past few days, afraid that the Jinghong Gang will cause trouble.

As the largest gang in Nanyang Prefecture, the White Tiger Hall lost all its elite members overnight.

The gang leader, Lin Que, along with four branch leaders and dozens of core members, were all dead. Only a group of lackeys remained. How could the Jinghong Gang not be furious?

The Jinshui River was in a state of high alert, with passing boats being inspected and harassed.

The prefect of Nanyang Prefecture had to step in to appease the Jinghong Gang before they finally calmed down.

"There are probably still lingering effects behind the scenes," Chen Mu thought with a hint of worry.

"I'll just stay home and grind for skill points." It's just about staying home more.

"Let's see what we've gained this time."

A string of tongue-twisting incantations was recited.

Black smoke billowed out, and a black lacquered wooden box, half a meter long and as tall as a forearm, appeared on the table.

He brought it from the White Tiger Hall ship five days ago.

The wooden crate came from an exquisitely decorated luxury cabin, and most likely belonged to Lin Que's private collection.

I've been busy renting and moving these past few days, so I haven't had time to check it out carefully yet.

Upon opening the wooden box, a stack of silver notes immediately came into view.

"Thirteen thousand two hundred taels!" Chen Mu gasped.

He had never seen so many banknotes before.

The Spirit Sand Pills and Qingfeng Powder would bring him about three hundred taels of silver each month. It would take him four years to save up that much without eating, drinking, or spending any money!

"Get rich."

Chen Mu put away the silver notes and continued flipping through them.

Three fist-sized white porcelain bottles, a gray stone the size of a pineapple, two account books, and seven house deeds.

The ledgers are useless.

The property deeds include three shops and four residential houses.

"Perhaps we can let Jiejia handle the cash conversion." This old man has many connections and connections; he can definitely deal with this kind of filth.

They didn't dare open the three fist-sized white porcelain bottles rashly, for fear of emitting some highly volatile poison.

They were put into a sealed compartment in the Five Ghosts Bag, and the paper effigy of the spirit was used to open the bottle.

The two bottles contained the same thing: a red pill, about the size of a grape, ten pills in each bottle, the purpose of which was unknown.

The other bottle contained six brown pills the size of peanuts, which were also unremarkable.

Chen Mu poured out one pill and placed it on the table.

Gently fanning the air, a faint medicinal scent wafts through the air.

His keen sense of smell, honed by his pharmaceutical skills, allowed him to make a rough guess about the two types of pills.

“Red is associated with replenishing qi and blood, could it be a tonic for nourishing the soul?” Chen Mu’s eyes lit up.

Nourishing the soul is difficult. Furthermore, the secret medicine is controlled by the Liang royal family and other powerful clans.

Even wandering martial arts practitioners were forced to come up with various solutions.

Chen Mu himself even uses medicine to prepare nutritious milk. There are always talented people who can figure out ways to enhance qi and blood.

"The red pill might be one of them."

"There should be many more similar tonics." Chen Mu immediately decided, "I must collect them when I have the chance."

As long as he finds one or two samples, he can use his pharmaceutical skills to deduce and replicate them. These samples can then become his nourishment for his soul.

The brown pills are much simpler.

He took a sniff and a careful taste, and he figured out about 70-80% of the recipe.

The more Chen Mu pondered, the stranger his expression became.

"An ancient version of the Blue Pill?"

Good guy!
"Lin Que has such a majestic and imposing appearance, I never expected this..."

It has a mild medicinal effect, nourishes the body's vital energy, promotes the generation of Yang energy, and does not harm the body. It's a good product!
"It's a pity we can't use it."

"Hmm... Sell it to Jiejia? Yes, sell it to Jiejia! His hair has turned white, he'll definitely need it!" Chen Mu chuckled as he put the medicine bottle away.

Finally, he examined the dull gray stone.

"If Lin Que could put it in a wooden box, it must be some kind of precious mineral."

"Put it away, I'll think about it when I have time."

……

On the banks of the Jinshui River, at Changrui Wharf in Nanyang Prefecture, inside the flagship of the Jinghong Gang.

Jin Wuduan, the leader of the Jinghong Gang, sat at the head of the table.

A kind smile always graced his chubby face. Yet the arrogant, burly men sitting on either side below him dared not even breathe loudly.

Jin Wuduan looks like a wealthy businessman, but his strength ranks among the top three in Nanyang Prefecture.

It was precisely because of this expert that the Jinghong Gang was able to firmly occupy the Jinshui River.

There was a tray on the coffee table next to him, containing a short knife.

Jin Wu rubbed the severed part of his finger: "Excellent swordsmanship."

“Zhu Yige denies killing Lin Que,” a man in his fifties on the left said respectfully.

“Hmm. The Crimson Robe Pavilion doesn’t have any swordsmen like that.” Jin Wuduan nodded.

"The Zhu Yi Pavilion also said that Lin Que attacked the Zhu Yi Pavilion stronghold without cause and demanded an explanation," the thin old man continued.

"Ignore him." Jin Wuduan waved his hand dismissively, "I will go and have a proper talk with Zhang Qinghe myself."

The expressions of the many hall masters immediately hardened.

Zhang Qinghe is the head of the Zhuyi Pavilion in Nanyang Prefecture and one of the three great masters of Nanyang Prefecture.

If the two of them were to clash, it would likely be a fierce battle!
This dispute will have an immeasurable impact on both the Jinghong Gang and Nanyang Prefecture.

“Lin did attack the Zhu Yi Pavilion for his own selfish interests, and he deserves to die.” Jin Wuduan said with a smile.

"However, he is still the leader of one of my Jinghong Gang's halls."

"I'll help Zhu Yige clean up his mess."

"Another reward is offered: 10,000 taels for clues leading to Lin Que's death; 20,000 taels for finding the murderer; and 50,000 taels for his head."

Jin Wuduan's smile faded, and he looked at each of the hall masters one by one: "Go back and rectify the gang rules, restrain your subordinates, and prevent them from acting recklessly."

"A great figure will be arriving soon; Nanyang Prefecture must not be thrown into chaos!"

"Yes!"

The hall masters bowed and accepted the order.

Zuo Sheng, sitting at the end, also clasped his hands in agreement.

Thinking about the high reward offered earlier, he couldn't help but feel tempted.

Recalling the horrific scene on the White Tiger Hall's ship, Zuo Sheng frowned deeply.

Iron lotus seeds rained down, and short swords stabbed.

He was too familiar with this scene.

That's how the Taoist priest from Qianshan in Qingshan County died.

He couldn't help but think of their chance encounter that night.

"Senior brother, you've done something really important, but it's put me in a difficult position."

He wanted the high reward, but deep down he was also secretly wary.

Lin Que had just sent someone to keep an eye on him when he was met with a fierce counterattack.

The White Tiger Hall was wiped out without hesitation, and this ruthless approach made Zuo Sheng tremble with fear.

"Forget it, let's not provoke this evil star." Zuo Sheng shook his head. "Instead of doing that, we should think about how to profit from the White Tiger Hall."

He turned to look at the burly, dark-faced man sitting at the very end opposite him.

Zhang Ye, formerly the leader of the Bailang Gang in Qingshan County, is now the head of the Baihu Hall, a lucky man that others envy.

With all the elites of the White Tiger Hall wiped out, and only the shortest among the shortest, Zhang Ye became the leader of the hall in a daze.

Even Lian Zuosheng couldn't help but feel jealous.

“The other party is also from Qingshan County, and is not strong enough. They need outside help. If we can join forces with them now…” Zuo Sheng smiled with narrowed eyes.

(End of this chapter)